[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6551289,"mediaKeyId","5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91","parentId",5342083,"title","Residents press county on pesticide use near Smith River; Water Board meeting scheduled, regulators to release draft order","audioSeconds",1365,"startMs",731000,"endMs",2096000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91&start=731&end=2096","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91/thumbnail_731000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551289/Del-Norte-County/California/Residents-press-county-on-pesticide-use-near-Smith-River-Water-Board-meeting-scheduled-regulators-to-release-draft-order","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551289-d23e969d753ebe2b6d3ea5c901abcc3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577373&Signature=mkcHbIaTvwwCvAsLBpDAeZFCdCZmEB3TE2AgYcvW0M1eyMnqbAmKcX4o4o6jE-lX12xTa0xwh1RLXZRf5EeAGi884EEoI3JwLVv23dGvaXmEuQNb3537tPs0dUXec6AnjLWIeda18HTNenY8HVYjZRuXtpS1b-xOu1kabhEB~qZyD4yQPb-3LMCuC5682qn~vxUFhXhuLJRssPO1P~5~HL6tW2ZeX6VEt6fuXRaS-2gigIhullcj8VvMHtsoLj0N~J1MFnEBs4p~SzNUBZqLrwEdmA3y~O~X0Te3V5xyJs4uDYJlbHAPfP3zmWj9qyBWLMX5AmKpEnBQ8WkSzq3IgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-09T06:38:52Z","article","Del Norte County residents and scientific experts urged the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to press state regulators over the use of restricted pesticides and soil fumigants on lily farms in the Smith River plains, saying applications run close to housing and important estuarine habitat.

Supervisor John Howard told the board the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board will hold a meeting in Del Norte County on Oct. 8 to discuss recent findings related to lily farm impacts, and that a draft general order for waste discharge is expected in January, followed by a public workshop in February. He said the board anticipates consideration and potential adoption of a draft order and environmental review by August 2026.

Several public commenters provided detailed accounts and technical concerns. Carl Page, a fisheries biologist, described long-standing changes to floodplain creeks and the removal of woody debris that coho salmon and other species use for cover. “Coho need those for over summer rearing,” Page said, linking habitat alteration and pesticide exposure to risks for threatened species.

Public commenter Alicia Williams outlined label warnings and toxicity of specific pesticide products applied in the area. She said some labels warn “do not apply directly to water or where surface water is present” and noted soil fumigant label language that cautions against leaching and runoff after untarped applications, particularly in areas with heavy rainfall.

Williams also said the County Agricultural Commissioner and the Water Board share responsibility through mutual-agency arrangements with the Department of Pesticide Regulation, and she urged coordinated enforcement and review of alternatives to the restricted materials.

Supervisor Howard asked the board to track the Water Board's schedule and to be prepared for public workshops connected with the draft order. Board members did not take regulatory action at Tuesday's meeting but directed attention to the upcoming Water Board process; several board members and speakers said they are seeking stronger transparency and monitoring of pesticide applications near residents and ecologically sensitive waterways.

What happens next: The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board is scheduled to meet in Del Norte County on Oct. 8; the board and county staff will monitor the schedule and public workshops tied to a draft general order for waste discharge expected in January, with a projected adoption timeline in August 2026.

—

No formal board vote was required at Tuesday’s meeting on this topic.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Supervisors 7-8-25","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers at the Del Norte County board meeting urged action after long-running concerns about pesticides and fumigants used on lily farms near the Smith River; supervisors and public commenters flagged environmental and public-health risks and noted an October Water Board meeting and a draft waste discharge general order expected in January.","taxTitle","Del Norte County, California","taxId",15614,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6551294,"Del Norte supervisors authorize study of Barrow Ranch sale; public raises cemetery, mitigation concerns",420,2981000,3401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91&start=2981&end=3401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91/thumbnail_2981000.jpg","/articles/6551294/Del-Norte-County/California/Del-Norte-supervisors-authorize-study-of-Barrow-Ranch-sale-public-raises-cemetery-mitigation-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551294-5c6748c843428858e28a797a0701e791/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577373&Signature=JvSWbxV~8PTPc38fdClLjUjHAifJLrHhLZrFTbL3TP2kmuvryq5aWpr3IQeIP5IZS46vO5WqytOapC5a3ZQ1UgGbuhFj35Jum~TWkQgHOvh8hd~pUgCmSOKJK9CrH6yIyF24-Dg17ctnhaXLo2kpeAa9P-9VG-DlAwu775F8ug6TIVgtepA4O0HvzESZx9ASD7WxwzWIpMFSLOVN~GMclIO9UcJBRxFUFb0~4rSBb-zYSqWoY277ziZLASTC3jaql3mVvzoGJVoT0Fk7c4PQKDxnHH6O9nD1eguGS0jDrHCU4CyZRtGvpXpe1YN76WNXRaq2Q5~cbup-9XKso2Csow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to authorize a task order under an existing contract with Public Square Real Estate to study compliance with the state Surplus Lands Act and evaluate possible listing and sale of county-owned Barrow Ranch property.

The board's action directs staff to ask the contractor to assess legal steps, marketability and procedural requirements before any decision to sell. Assistant County Administrative Officer Randy Hooper told the board the task order would “further develop the idea, of potentially listing the property for sale and getting it out on the private market.”

The move prompted several public speakers to ask the county to protect graves and cultural resources. A family member asked the board to preserve a grave she identified as the site of a relative named George Washington on the Barrow Ranch parcel; other commenters said the historical society had not been notified before the notice aired locally.

“There's a whole story about George Washington. He's buried at Barrow Boys Ranch,” a family member said during public comment. She asked the county to confirm whether the gravesite is protected and to involve the family and local historical organizations during the surplus review.

Hooper said the task order process is intended to surface exactly those issues: “I think your comments would be welcome as we go through this process to establish some of these considerations.” The board approved the task order by unanimous vote.

Separately the board took up a proposal to transfer 18 small county-owned parcels in the Pacific Shores subdivision to the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and the Smith River Alliance under an exempt surplus designation. Assistant CAO Hooper said the state funding, routed through the Smith River Alliance, would compensate the county above what taxes would otherwise have produced and allow the parcels to be incorporated into the Lake Earl wildlife area.

Supervisors pushed back, asking staff to check whether the parcels already qualify as wetlands and whether they would have usefulness as mitigation banks for future county infrastructure projects. Supervisor Short and others noted the county has faced high mitigation ratios from coastal regulators on projects such as airport improvements, and they asked whether holding parcels for mitigation would be a better long-term strategy.

After debate the board rescinded an initial motion to approve the Pacific Shores transfer and directed staff to perform a cursory review to determine whether any of the parcels could be used for mitigation in the future. The item was continued so staff could report back with a short analysis on whether the parcels are already wetlands, whether they contain road segments or other elements that could be restored, and whether the state purchase funds are time-limited.

Supervisor Starkey clarified the task order for Barrow Ranch does not approve a sale: it only commissions study of the legal and market issues and possible subdivision or lot-splitting scenarios. Hooper said there is an existing county appraisal and that Public Square would evaluate listing approaches, including whether subdivision would increase value.

The board also discussed logistics from the feasibility study: Hooper said an earlier engineering study showed “several million dollars” would be required to make Barrow Ranch usable for many county purposes, a factor in deciding to explore sale.

What happens next: Public Square Real Estate will complete the task-order work for Barrow Ranch and staff will return a short, focused memo on the Pacific Shores parcels' mitigation potential before the board proceeds with any transfer or listing.

—

Votes at this meeting affecting this topic: the board voted unanimously to authorize the Barrow Ranch task order. The Pacific Shores transfer was continued for further review.","The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors approved a task order to study surplus-land sale options for Barrow Ranch and opened preliminary talks about Pacific Shores parcels; residents pressed to protect a family gravesite and asked the board to assess future mitigation value before any transfer.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6551279,"At a glance: Del Norte supervisors approve land study, fire-hazard ordinance, equipment grants and budget transfers",393,5103000,5496000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91&start=5103&end=5496","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91/thumbnail_5103000.jpg","/articles/6551279/Del-Norte-County/California/At-a-glance-Del-Norte-supervisors-approve-land-study-fire-hazard-ordinance-equipment-grants-and-budget-transfers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551279-562f16a8eef723b9b5dc2aa1e2609c25/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577373&Signature=RqFzbrxkujiXpkSY3Wd2OW~tMqOAG5ptNaKK28~Ggfs38L76wdVfd~kZKI-xFdoJcvyMvKHW8yJsxnvSz4Nb3zyQUIRB~rh9BKL-cDddkPc6pnDHG1DvRI-n0raD3xr02w~7etCSOQllglnRUNmNKn5rkR8NpbaHWPjKtouJPxjcqMIImW0ASq07onSxqmKGXpoSn8JSx91C7nfFREU6FaUIIirsp-IbdDZGcR6fodl3O84AORad2JDpnugR4-cWlLjzDoExD~d~6uANRJYcHs2r6NTw3rldnL3ab6XH2PhOd1RlV3w1yOFZq~UtPbQWHYn5aJtkSfee2-MiKcP2~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Key actions the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors took at its July 8 meeting:

- Barrow Ranch task order (Item 14): The board voted unanimously to authorize a task order under the county's existing contract with Public Square Real Estate to study Surplus Lands Act compliance and potential listing/sale of Barrow Ranch. (Motion: approved; mover: Supervisor Short; second: Supervisor Wilson.)

- Pacific Shores parcels (Item 15): The board initially discussed approving a resolution to declare 18 Pacific Shores parcels exempt surplus land and authorize negotiation with the Wildlife Conservation Board and Smith River Alliance. After discussion about mitigation value and historic protections, the board rescinded the initial motion and directed staff to do a cursory mitigation review; the item was continued for a later meeting.

- Fire-hazard map ordinance (Item 16): The board adopted an ordinance adding county code language to incorporate the state fire-hazard severity zone maps into Del Norte County's Title 19 fire safety regulations. The clerk was directed to publish a summary and the Director of Community Development was directed to send a copy to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. (Motion: adopted; unanimous vote.)

- Title III equipment application (Item 17): The board authorized staff to process a Title III funding application from the Del Norte County Office of Emergency Services for $61,355 to purchase a sport utility vehicle used in operations on federal lands. The funds must be obligated by Sept. 30, 2025, or returned to the federal government. (Motion: approved; unanimous vote.)

- Title III equipment application — Gasky Fire (Item 19): The board authorized staff to process a Title III application from the Gasky Fire Protection District for $254,506 to buy a Type 6 wildland fire engine for federal-land operations. (Motion: approved; unanimous vote.)

- Ad hoc committee on state-owned properties (Item 18): The board established an ad hoc committee to evaluate maintenance responsibilities and liability for state-owned properties and appointed Supervisors Howard and Starkey. (Motion: approved; unanimous vote.)

- Budget transfers (Items 20–21): The board approved three budget transfers: $399,588 within the county service area budget to move ARPA funds for emergency power at sewer lift stations; $68,400 within Community Development to cover salaries; and $47,800 within the roads division to cover staff costs. (Motions: approved; unanimous votes.)

- Consent agenda: Items 1–12 on the consent agenda were approved as presented with one item pulled for discussion (Item 5 discussed but not removed). The full consent agenda passed unanimously.

The board took these votes by roll call; all recorded votes were unanimous. Several items were informational or continued for staff follow-up rather than finalized transfers or expenditures.

—

A fuller staff report will follow for items continued for more study.","The board approved a task order to study sale options for Barrow Ranch, adopted a local ordinance adopting state fire-hazard severity zone maps, approved Title III equipment grants and several budget transfers; the Pacific Shores parcel transfer was continued for additional review.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6551284,"Supervisors seek update on public defender workload after contract shifts; county says negotiations active",132,1644000,1776000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91&start=1644&end=1776","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342083-bd84b2e1302ccaeb7d203a98f54efb91/thumbnail_1644000.jpg","/articles/6551284/Del-Norte-County/California/Supervisors-seek-update-on-public-defender-workload-after-contract-shifts-county-says-negotiations-active","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551284-3183e81858c9a259e12063323400bff2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775577373&Signature=a6EUs3iHfEAb9sayu0cj9db7y1EhS2CGljNi3teZnu5e-eQb6-6SC8RwNrZxdBHhdN-Y2OAszBbfRL5iHtRJiNFAqLYssAI5EqQuCENzTPUMDtSwcs28bNnqoJrW3Unkb15pbgN2FfpHgAOxYjj~mJhsdzhKN090nt5RygzVTPpGGkwmnQ4~wAKoq6soeWnIxjpyLzIBdGD5U~hjYveoxHoLRQ~cDvMfTE98d4zJ2m~J9vTrcmtvROsgNYbnBoQevJLuvR1-zwkFy51IsUNC3HKD9tPAemu4VlD-MWnxDBhRiUwRVT2jH6dDFNk0boXzHIETvGi63KGInrJb8ZTcPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Supervisor Starkey asked the board Tuesday to direct staff to return with a plan addressing workload and staffing in the county's public defender office after several departures and contract shifts.

Starkey said Del Norte has lost multiple public defenders recently and noted that George Mavris, previously under contract on Pelican Bay work, is moving to the district attorney's office. “What I would like is to hear an update from staff with regard to how are we sharing that workload given the vacancies,” Starkey said, requesting a report at the next meeting.

County counsel and staff said negotiations are ongoing and that some Pelican Bay contract coverage and public defender work are being managed under existing agreements. County counsel advised the board that it was “premature” to report detailed outcomes while contract talks remain active.

There was disagreement in the public record about whether Mavris had been taking overflow felony cases under the public defender contract. County counsel clarified Mavris had a Pelican Bay contract and private clients; staff said remaining contracts are in force and that active negotiations are underway to adjust coverage.

Supervisor Starkey urged the board to receive a status update after negotiations conclude so the board and the public can assess any caseload or access-to-counsel risks. Staff agreed to provide an update once negotiations reach a point where there is solid information to share.

No formal board action was taken Tuesday; the board asked staff to report back when contract negotiations allow.","The board heard concerns about vacancies in the public defender's office after attorneys left and others took Pelican Bay contract work. Supervisors requested an update; county counsel said contract negotiations are active and staff will report back when agreements are finalized.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents press county on pesticide use near Smith River; Water Board meeting scheduled, regulators to release draft order

Del Norte supervisors authorize study of Barrow Ranch sale; public raises cemetery, mitigation concerns

At a glance: Del Norte supervisors approve land study, fire-hazard ordinance, equipment grants and budget transfers

Supervisors seek update on public defender workload after contract shifts; county says negotiations active